Edwen Cuil Herio
by Gemstarzah
Summary: Sent back to life without much warning at all, Glorfindel finds himself back in Middle-Earth, which as one of the Vanyar, he never expected to return to. However Glorfindel soon finds himself confused, as it is no longer the Middle-Earth he remembers. Things have changed. Others have moved on. Those who knew him from the past, are no longer there. Book One of 'A Reborn Hero' series
1. Onnen Ad

**Author's Notes:**

I do not own the characters, only my representations of them, as well as my plot. Some plot elements are canon to JRR Tolkien's works.

Title means: Reborn Again

This is beta read by Hakeber, a member of the Archives of Our Own site.

The feeling that something was rocking him made him feel a little confused. Glorfindel blinked, as he took in his surroundings. There was no movement in Mandos' halls like the one he felt now, or so he had found in the years he had resided there.

 _I suppose I better walk around and see what is going on._ _Wait a moment, walk around and see?_ That was not something he had thought to do when he was in the Halls. One could see everything going on in the halls simply by hovering about, as they were only spirits.

 _Wasn't I just talking to Ecthelion?_

Glorfindel looked about, getting more confused as his eyes made out wooden paneling around himself. He knew he hadn't been buried, the elves of Gondolin didn't bury the dead in wood. This place was not anything like Mandos' Halls.

He reached a set of steps and went to go up them. Instead of floating, as he thought he would, his knee jarred as he stepped up one of the steps. Instead of going through the steps, his feet were touching them! They were solid under him!

 _Aren't I meant to be dead?_

He made his way up the stairs, still not used to the rocking movement of the wood below him. Once he passed through a door and out into the open, he felt as though something was very strange. He could see blue sky, and he smelt salt. No matter which way he turned, he could see naught but blue.

He appeared to be on a ship, but why was he on one? That made no sense. _Where am I being taken?_ He could hear no one else on the ship which also confused him. _I wouldn't know how to control this ship._

Glorfindel chose to go back down under the deck of the ship, and to find out what else was on board. There had to be other things. He knew now that he was alive, and that was something he had not hoped to happen any time soon. Not while his friends were still in the halls.

 _I suppose I need to find out if there is food on this ship_. If there were not, then there were every chance he might end up back in Mandos' Halls again. _When did Eru decide to remake me, and why me? Where are the Valar sending me?_

Last time there had been an ocean to cross, he remembered that he like the rest of his people, or most of them, anyway, had crossed via the Helacraxe. _I'm glad I do not have to find a way past that again._

He doubted one elf alone would be able to make it in that frigid land. It was surprising that he and the others had made it in the first place, considering the many others who hadn't.

Some of those who hadn't made it he had met in Mandos' Halls once more. It seemed cruel, that he was going somewhere none of them could.

Down in the galley of the ship, he found there was a room with a bed in it and a bag of clothing, which he didn't bother to touch for now. He also noted a very familiar looking sword as well.

 _That's my old sword_. If he was being sent back with it, he doubted he was going anywhere peaceful. He would likely need it before he knew what was going on. Picking up the sword, he unsheathed it, checking the blade for any damage after the fight he'd had with the Balrog that had been the cause of his downfall. There did not appear to be any damage, and the sword was clean as well. _I wonder which of the Valar thought it was wise to send this back with me._

"Lord Círdan!"

The Silver haired member of the Teleri turned as he heard one of his kin calling his name. The ellon coming toward him had pale white hair, as was usual for their people.

"Yes?"

"There's a ship coming toward the docks, it is not one from Númenor however."

 _A ship that_ _'s not from Númenor?_

"Well… what does it look like? Could it be one from our friends in Valinor?"

The ellon flinched at that one.

"Well, yes, it almost looks the same as one of the ships Fëanor stole from Aqualonde and then burned. I don't know who's on board."

Círdan sighed. "Very well, I will go and see who is coming to us this time. They will not be able to fool me."

He would never allow someone to cross into his lands if they were not friends to his people. Not after spending so much time working on the friendship between himself and Ereinion. He had known the High-King of the Noldor since said elf was an elfling, and he wasn't about to lose his trust now.

"Send word to Elrond that I will bring the strangers up to the palace to meet the High-King once I have met them myself."

The ellon nodded.

"I'll head straight there."

Círdan nodded and watched him leave, before he himself headed down toward his docks.

Some time later, Glorfindel stood out on the deck once more, eyes searching for any sign of land. He was getting tired of staying on board the ship, having walked its length so many times he was starting to get quite bored of being at sea.

 _At least when F_ _ëanor crossed the seas he had other company with him._

He had never considered thanking the heavens for anything, but just when he was starting to really hope for land he heard the call of a bird. Glorfindel could not help but look up at the sound. _Am I finally nearly where the Valar want me to be?_ He searched, finally spotting the sea bird and then behind it, he noticed that he was nearing a gap between two cliffs.

 _I really hope there is no waterfall between the cliffs!_

He did not want to be reborn only to find himself plunging over a waterfall to his death. _I doubt that was why they sent me back._ There was no point in him being returned to life, only to have things end in such a ridiculous manner.

Through the gap he sailed.

He did not recall the bay that he had entered, and he took in the buildings scattered around before noticing the stone jetty that his ship was fast approaching.

It seemed this part of his journey was over at least. He would find out soon enough where he was. A glance down at the clothing he wore surprised him. _Ai Valar!_ He was dressed in the same clothing he had worn in Gondolin! Why hadn't he thought to look down sooner?

There was no mistaking the small celandine flowers embroidered into his golden tunic. Any who saw them would know who he was.

 _Find Elrond E_ _ärendilion._

The words suddenly appeared in his thoughts, and he knew one of the Valar had sent those words to him. _E_ _ärendilion?_ Last time he had seen Eärendil, it had been just prior to his own death against the Balrog! The Eärendil of his memories was only a very young child, and yet now, the child he remembered had a son?

 _How long was I in Mandos_ _' Halls? Are any of my kin still here? Or did they all die?_ Yes, now he knew Eärendil, at least, had survived, but were there others who had made it through the fall of his home? He knew there had been very few from his House who continued to flee while he fought the Balrog. The Balrog had claimed his life, yes, but he was - in a way - glad to be returning to Middle-Earth. That was the only place he could think of that he could be approaching while on the small ship.

He then spotted a figure coming out to meet his ship, and he knew this person would be able to tell him where he was at least. The boat stopped beside the docks, and Glorfindel looked at the elf that had come to greet him.

Glorfindel blinked. Though he could tell quite plainly that the other figure was an elf, since when did elves have beards? As soon as the ship was securely docked, Glorfindel got off and stopped on the jetty, looking at the other elf.

"Greetings, stranger," the other elf spoke. Glorfindel understood the words, they were Sindarin, and he had had a few Sindarin friends in Gondolin.

"Greetings," Glorfindel replied. It was good to know he had the same voice as he'd had in his former life.

He was not sure what to say to this elf. He knew that his destiny was connected to Eärendil's son, but this elf could not be him at all. For one thing, Eärendil had had dark hair, and this one was silver haired. He could guess that there was Sindarin blood in this strange elf though.

 _I would rather not stay around here,_ he thought. So perhaps it was best that what he sought was elsewhere.

"Do you happen to know where I might find Elrond Eärendilion? I was told when I arrived here - though I am not sure where 'here' is - to find him."

The bearded elf nodded. "I know Elrond, quite well, actually. Who sent you to find him?"

Glorfindel groaned. "I think…" he paused, " the Valar."


	2. Ara Tham

Elrond looked up from what he'd been reading at a knock on his door. He'd been going over a plan for Gil-Galad, and this knock was indeed interrupting.

"Come in!"

He was surprised when the door opened as to who had come in. An old friend of his, who he'd met when he first came to Lindon himself.

"Erestor? What can I do for you?"

Elrond set the scroll down as his friend came in and sat down opposite him.

"One of Círdan's shipwights came with a message, Elrond. They said a ship was seen coming and that Círdan went to greet who was on board. It's also said that he's bringing the lone elf that was on the ship and he seems to know but one name here. Yours."

Elrond raised an eyebrow.

"Me? I assume that Círdan will bring the elf to meet the King?"

Erestor nodded. "That was where the messenger said that they were headed yes."

Elrond rose from where he sat. The work he'd been doing could wait.

"Thank you, mellon-nin for letting me know. I will go and find the King and let him know about this arrival. Would you let Círdan know when he gets closer that his message was heard and acted on?"

Erestor nodded.

"I will. It won't be long, Elrond until our friend gets here."

Elrond nodded. "No it certainly won't be. Was there any word as to where this elf is coming from?"

Erestor nodded. "Since there weren't any elves in Númenor for quite some time, Círdan believes they came from Valinor."

 _I don't know why we never got any message to say someone was coming across the seas like this. Then again, as far as I've heard, the Host of the Valar_ _coming_ _was unexpected too._ He knew of course, that it had been his own father who had made that one possible. _My father risked his own life to try and get us the help we needed here._ Not that Eärendil had been much of a father during the few years Elrond had known him.

Elrond walked to the door of his study and headed along the corridors. Elrond knew Gil-Galad would welcome this newcomer, since Círdan was bringing him here.

 _I wonder who it is._

Could be anyone really. All they did know for certain was that the newcomer wasn't mortal. Else it would have been said to be one of the ships from his brother's land. Númenor, which rarely sent anyone anymore to talk to them.

In the beginning, there had been plenty of ships sent by his brother, as the Men learned to live in their own lands. Elrond had gone over there once or twice. He had hoped to go again, as he knew his brother was getting old now, for a mortal. _Elros can't live forever, and we've had no word from Númenor in over a century._

There was no way of knowing how his brother was. All he knew was that he was alive, since Elrond could still sense him at times.

Reaching the door he had in mind at last, Elrond knocked.

"Enter!"

Elrond smiled, before entering the study. Ereinion was sitting at the desk, reading something.

"A messenger came, Ereinion."

Ereinion looked up at that.

"Oh? What did they say?"

Elrond paused.

"A ship came to the Havens. Círdan went to see to it… he's coming this way with the newcomer."

Ereinion sighed. "Númenor?"

Elrond shook his head. "Valinor."

It was fairly clear, that he was an unexpected arrival, to say the least. As he walked with the bearded elf through the streets of the harbour settlement, Glorfindel became increasingly aware of others he passed stopping what they were doing to watch him go by. "You'd think no one ever came from Valinor to here," he muttered.

"Generally, people don't," the ellon replied. "Especially not to here, Mithlond, the heart of Lindon."

"Lindon? There was nowhere by that name when I was last here," Glorfindel replied. "Though, that was during the First Age, which makes me asks, what year and what age are we in? I do not believe I ever came this far... last time."

"It is the year 1600 of the Second Age." The elf looked at Glorfindel as he spoke. "When were you last here? Everyone knows what year we're in."

 _Aside from a reborn elf like me_ , Glorfindel thought. "Year 510 of the First Age was my last year here." _The year I died fighting the Balrog._ He shook his head. "While I know the lay of the land, when it comes to mountains, forests, rivers... I do not know the places that have sprung up now. If that is the Ered Luin looming within sight, then I am nowhere near my home..."

Not to mention it appeared to have vanished. Gone forever: under the sea. It was as if there had never been land out there. Glorfindel wasn't sure what to think of that. Turning swiftly, he looked back the way he had come. All that loomed in sight was the Sea, and the bay into which his ship had brought him. He did not know how to feel, knowing his home was gone.

The former Lord of the Golden Flower groaned. So it was gone. Everything he had fought for, and likely everyone he had known. _How could the Valar send me back so long after I fell?_ "How many years were there after I was last here in the First Age?"

"Eighty years," the elf replied. Before he continued. "My name is Círdan by the way. Right now, we're headed toward where the High-King lives. Who are you?"

"Glorfindel," Glorfindel replied. _Who replaced Turgon after he fell in Gondolin?_ He did not ask the question out loud.

"Our High King is a good one, Glorfindel. Once he has heard what you have to say, I am sure he will help you. Ereinion Gil-Galad is one who knows what he's doing." Círdan it seemed was the only one who did not blink and stare when he heard the name Glorfindel had given him.

"Then I thank you, Círdan," Glorfindel replied.

Together they walked through the streets, passing by many of the elegant, beautiful houses that elves lived in. As Glorfindel walked, he noted that while some were Sindarin, most of the elves here were Noldor.

As they came up to what seemed to be the palace, Glorfindel noted there were guards standing at the doors. His guide spoke to them, and then the pair of elves went in.

Glorfindel found himself somewhat at ease as he walked through the carved marble halls, taking in everything around him.

"I daresay word's reached here of your arrival," Círdan said as they walked. "No doubt there will be others, including Elrond, waiting to greet you in the throne room."

 _Well that will make it easy for me to find him_.

"Why were you looking for him anyway?"

"Once, I swore my loyalty to his grandfather, High-King Turgon, but not just to him, but to his descendants. I suppose the Valar told me Elrond's name so I knew who to look for out of that family now that I'm back once more."

Glorfindel really couldn't think of any other reason for the Valar to tell him the name. They would have their reasons, as was usual, but for him it was something he was yet to work out. He knew they were hinting at something, but he had no way of knowing what exactly they wanted him to do this time.

Círdan nodded, walking until he reached a set of double doors, which swung open to admit the two elves.

Glorfindel looked at the figures at the other end of the room. Sitting on the throne was a younger ellon, golden haired like himself, but with wise darker blue eyes. Standing to one side of the seated ellon, was a much younger black haired ellon. There was something about him that was familiar, but Glorfindel did not recognise the ellon's face.

Glorfindel bowed once he drew near, an action he was used to doing whenever he had gone to speak to Turgon, and it seemed more than appropriate now that he was facing another High-King. He thought for a few moments on a greeting suitable, knowing the language of Gondolin was no use here. _It is a good thing I learnt Sindarin at one point,_ he thought.

"Mae l'ovannen, hîr-nin," he said, before straightening once more.

 _Now I'll see what this new High King thinks of me indeed._ He knew that the mere fact the Valar had sent him back was one that would stun this younger elf. Nearly a whole age he had seen go by in his first lifetime. _I wonder how many I will live to see this time,_ he thought. It would be interesting, to see what happened now that he might just be where he was supposed to be.


End file.
